Mechanism of peptide modification by low-temperature microwave plasma

The possibility of changing the biological function of peptides was investigated using low pressure microwave plasma, aiming to develop a new and efficient technique to inactivate biohazardous proteinaceous molecules such as abnormal prions and figure out the insights of the interactions between non-reactive plasmas and peptide molecules. In the present research, a peptide, Arginine Vasotocin, having an inherent bio-function of controlling the water penetrability through amphibian abdominal skin was used. The interaction with low temperature plasma is investigated. The mechanisms involved in the modifications produced by argon plasma exposure are discussed, according to the obtained results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance, and water penetrability tests. The loss of water enhancement property of the peptide molecules after argon plasma treatment is explained.